Sophie immediately turned pale. She quickly hung up and threw her phone onto the bed. “I never should’ve called. I just embarrassed myself.”I sighed. “At least figure out whose bed Austin is actually in.” “What’s there to figure out? Lucy answered his phone, and he was in bed. They were obviously together, so does it even matter whose bed it is?”When she put it that way, I guessed it did not.The next day, we had a meeting. Since it was at Freeman Corporation, Timothy came instead of Zach.We waited forever, but Austin did not show up. This time, I called him myself since Sophie was still upset about last night.Lucy picked up again, and I kept my voice low. “Put Austin on.” “He’s still tired from last night.” Lucy giggled. “We went at it so many times.”Luckily, I was the one on the phone. Sophie would have lost it.I snapped and lectured her, “Lucy, you’re only eighteen. Don’t you have any shame?” “Austin likes it that I’m young.” I did not bother arguing with her. A
“But I don’t get it. Why Lucy?” Sophie stared at me. “I never knew Austin liked that type.”“Stop worrying about why it’s Lucy. As long as it’s not you, it doesn’t matter who it is.” I understood what Sophie was thinking. I used to wonder the same thing.Why Cecilia?I was younger, prettier, and smarter. My family was rich, and I was kind-hearted. I thought that I was better than Cecilia in every way, but it was pointless. Zach still had feelings for her.So, no matter how much Sophie wondered, it would not change a thing. She thought that Lucy was just a troublemaker. That girl was an eighteen-year-old dropout who only knew how to dress up. Yet, Austin had chosen her. What else could Sophie do?While we had lunch, she complained nonstop.“People say men prefer eighteen-year-old girls, but I didn’t believe it. Looks like it’s true. Lucy has nothing but youth.”“Well, at least she’s young.” I gave her a shrimp. “Come on, eat. We have a conference call with my dad and yours this a
I knocked on the door of a garden villa, and the housekeeper answered. Immediately after, I introduced myself, “I’m Cassia Freeman, the acting chairman of Freeman Corporation. I’m here to see Mr. Hanson.”The housekeeper quickly invited us in. Sophie still looked confused as we took off our shoes. “Whose house is this?”“Take a guess.” I stood up straight, and a middle-aged woman came out. I had met her at a company event, and she was surprised to see me. She approached us and said, “Ms. Freeman? What brings you here?”“I was just passing by. I thought I’d drop by since it’s been a while. Is Mr. Hanson not home yet?”“Oh, he won’t be home for dinner tonight. He’s often out socializing, but I can call him for you.”“It’s okay.” I smiled and said, “Let him handle his business. We can chat on our own.”“Okay.” Ellie Gipson, Oscar’s wife, nervously wiped her hands on her clothes. She then stepped aside and said, “Please come in.”While Ellie asked the housekeeper to prepare tea, Sop
His name was Kingston Hanson. I was not sure if Oscar named him that because he wanted him to be as successful as a king.I remembered him being a good-looking kid. Apart from having bright eyes, he was tall and fair. He grew up to be just as handsome, the kind of guy Sophie would whistle at.Kingston was surprised to see two women in the house. Ellie quickly introduced us, “Come on in. This is Ms. Sophie Freeman and Cassia. You remember them, right? You used to play together when you were kids.”He probably remembered and extended his hand. “Hello.”I noticed that his nails looked nice; they were short and clean.I shook his hand, and Sophie tilted her head to check him out. “I recall that you had a scar here when you were younger. Did you get surgery? I don’t see it now.”“You have a good memory.” Kingston smiled and brushed his hair aside. “It’s right here.”“Oh.” Sophie leaned in to get a closer look. “Yeah, I remember that scar.”She would always notice the strangest thing
Actually, I had asked around for some information on Kingston.He had started his own tech company, and it started making money last year. He was one of the most independent and capable ones among his peers.He used to have a girlfriend. But when he first started his business, he was quite poor. He did not want to ask his family for money either, so she broke up with him.While he was an ordinary guy, he was one of the best. I felt that he would be a great match for Sophie.Someone like her should not be with a sharp person like Austin. She needed a kinder and more down-to-earth guy.I felt as if I was playing the role of her mom by interfering with her love life.However, I had to admit that I had ulterior motives.Kingston and Sophie were chatting and laughing during dinner. Meanwhile, Ellie and I rested our heads on our hands and watched them.“Kingston, put more food on Sophie’s plate.”“Sophie, don’t forget to share,” I added. “She’s good at taking care of others.”“Ki
“Sorry, but no.” If she had a better sense when it came to men, she would not still be single at twenty-six.I got in the car and told Mr. Pepper, “Just drive around for a bit before heading home.”“Isn’t Ms. Sophie Freeman coming with us?”“No, don’t worry about her. We’re leaving first.”Mr. Pepper took me for a drive, and the car moved slowly through the busy city like a turtle.“It’s rush hour. There are lots of people and cars,” he said.The city had a morning rush hour, evening rush hour, and even a late-night rush hour. It was always crowded.I leaned against the window and looked outside. The weather was nice tonight, and the warm breeze felt good on my face.While we stopped at a red light, Mr. Pepper suddenly said, “There aren’t many female bike riders these days.”Hmm?I looked ahead and saw a motorcycle pass through the intersection. The rider was a woman, and she looked cool with her helmet on.She was fully geared up, so I could not see her face. However, I rec
“Don’t make it sound so bad. Don’t you think Kingston’s a good match? Not only is he handsome and dependable, but you two also get along.” I walked out of the bathroom, and she followed closely behind.“When did you get so into matchmaking?”“Just stop hanging out with Lance. Kingston’s a great guy.”“Why Kingston? Sure, he’s nice, but his dad is Mr. Hanson. Isn’t that kind of weird?”“What’s weird about it?” I sat down at my vanity to dry my hair. The blow dryer hummed as I spoke. “Isn’t it better this way? We already know each other.”While I dried my hair, Sophie stood behind me and watched. Suddenly, she rushed over and unplugged the blow dryer. Her face lit up with realization as she pointed at me. “Wait a second. You’re trying to…”“Hey, hey.” I took the cord from her hand. “My hair’s still wet.”“Cassia, don’t tell me you’re setting me up with Kingston to get on Mr. Hanson’s good side?!”Wow, she figured it out fast. She was smart.I snapped my fingers. “Bingo, my dear
Oscar took the book from me. I assumed that Ellie had already told him about Sophie and Kingston. He stood there and contemplated as he watched the elevator numbers change. Just before we reached my floor, he spoke.“Ms. Freeman.”“Yes?” I looked up with a smile. “What is it, Mr. Hanson?”“I wasn’t home yesterday. Why don’t I treat you to a proper meal sometime?”“That sounds great. I haven’t had enough of Ellie’s cooking yet.”Soon, the elevator doors opened. While I was stepping out, Oscar added, “Looks like you’ve been busy lately. Are you planning to visit Mr. Harrison, Mr. Lewis, and Mr. Lawson too?”I smiled. “I told you I only stop by if I happen to be passing by. I’m not visiting everyone.”Oscar smiled in return and held up the book in his hand. “I’ll give this to Kingston. Thank Sophie for me.”I whistled as I walked into my office, and Benjamin came over. “Ms. Freeman, you seem pretty happy today.”Of course. I managed to get along with someone as difficult as Oscar
Sophie knocked on my door the next day around 7 a.m.I only managed to fall asleep at about 2 a.m., so I had a bad headache. I sat on the bed as she ran over excitedly and asked, “Are you busy this morning?” “Go away.” I lay down again. “Come to the city hall with me. I’m getting married!”“Why do you need me there? Am I going to breastfeed you?”“You don’t have milk right now.” I was disgusted by our conversation. Rachel sat up from the bed and asked, “Why are you going to the city hall?”“To get married.”“Shouldn’t you be going to a church for that? There’s supposed to be a priest with a bible that asks if you’re willing to marry this person next to you regardless of… something?”“That’s a religious wedding. Besides, it has to be lawful. What we’re doing today is the legal side of things.” Sophie carried Rachel up from the bed. “Do you want to be a witness to our marriage?” “Yay, sure!” Rachel immediately beamed and agreed. “I want to be the priest who holds the bibl
Cecilia had no shame at all. I would be speechless if this worked on Zach. After a while, she walked out dejectedly with her flowers. It seemed like she did not even manage to enter his office. She stood there in annoyance for a while before she suddenly looked over in my direction. I could see her, but she might not be able to see me. I was on a high floor, and the sun was blinding. Right then, Hailey gave me a call. I knew that she wanted to rant about Cecilia. Sure enough, Hailey started to complain, “Ms. Freeman, Cecilia is really shameless. I’ve never seen such a shameless woman. When Mr. Gordon was cut off from Gordon Corporation, she abandoned him immediately. Now that she knows he’s going to be Gordon Corporation’s acting CEO, she instantly starts visiting him again. I really can’t stand her.” “Hasn’t she always been like this?” I was unfazed. “Fortunately, Mr. Gordon is not willing to see her.” Hailey sounded relieved. “Do you really think he won’t see her fo
I looked at Austin’s pale face, and I was at a loss for words. His argument was reasonable, and I had no way to refute it. I was upset, but I could not cry. I felt a heavy feeling in my chest, and I found it hard to breathe. He looked at me and suddenly smiled. “Look at your face. Have I ever said that I liked Sophie? I don’t like girls like her. I prefer girls like you who are smart, beautiful, and decisive. Why don’t you marry me after you give birth to your babies?”I did not want to joke around with him. It was not funny.After that, Lucy exited the bridal shop and got into the backseat of the car. I stood in front of the bridal shop and watched as his car disappeared into the corner. “Cassia,” Sophie called out to me. I turned around. “What?”“Whose side are you on? I realize you’ve been extra nice to Austin recently. Have you forgotten that he’s a jerk?”“Watch your mouth.”I got into my car unhappily. “I’ll make a move first.”“Aren’t we having dinner together to
I knew that he was looking at the photos of him and Sophie in her wedding gown. Perhaps this would be the only time in his entire life that he could stand next to Sophie while she was dressed in a wedding gown. I felt the waterworks coming. When I tried to look for tissue papers in my bag, Zach called me. He sounded a bit excited. “Cassia, there’s this person overseas who has the same blood type as Austin. He has ALS, which is a fatal motor neuron disease. His family has already signed an organ donation form for him, and his condition recently worsened. He may pass in a month’s time, so I got in contact with them. His family has agreed to donate his heart to Austin.” “Really?” It was good news, and I almost leaped in joy. I glanced at Austin excitedly. He was staring intently at his phone, so he did not notice me. “Does Austin have to leave immediately?”“It’s still early. We can leave when the donor’s condition worsens.” I estimated the time. Zach said that it would ta
Sophie could easily start a fight wherever she went. I immediately went over and saw that Austin’s forehead had turned red. It seemed to be getting swollen. I kicked Sophie in anger. “Is there something wrong with you? What are you doing?” “Why did you kick me? Didn’t you hear what he just said?”Austin bent down and picked up Sophie’s phone for her. “Luckily, your phone screen isn’t cracked. It’s fine if my skull is cracked; it can heal.” Sophie took her phone, and it immediately unlocked due to face ID. Her wallpaper was a photo of Kingston and her. She had just changed the wallpaper yesterday. It used to be a photo of me and her. Austin was the one who had taken that photo. Even though Austin was not directly in the photo, it felt like it was a photo of the three of us. He must have noticed it. He smiled and said, “I’ll make a move. Tell Lucy I’ll be waiting for her in the car.” Austin walked out of the bridal shop, and Sophie looked dispirited. “I was quite happy, bu
“You’re getting married too?”“I’ll be your best man or maid of honor. What? You’re too cheap to pay for the outfits?”“You, my best man?”“Look around you. Are there any single people left?”Sophie rolled her eyes. “Hah, I wasn’t planning on inviting you.”Kingston tried to shake Austin’s hand, but Austin ignored him. Sophie got mad and pulled Kingston away. “Don’t pay attention to him. He thinks he’s too good for anyone. He’s crazy.”“Sophie,” I warned.“What? He’s always acting crazy!” she yelled.I was not sure if Austin really wanted to be Sophie’s best man, or if it was just an excuse to come here.Anyway, Austin went to change too. I could not tell the difference between the best man’s and groom’s outfits. However, the difference between the bridesmaid and bride was clear.While Sophie was posing in front of the mirror in her wedding dress, Austin came out of the fitting room.Austin was very thin, and the suit hung loosely on him, but it still looked good.He had a
Sophie’s wedding preparations were progressing quickly. She limped to work in the mornings and dragged me along in the afternoons to buy wedding stuff.I felt like the wedding was just an excuse for her to go shopping.“This afternoon, Kingston and I are trying on our wedding outfits. You should come too.”“It’s your wedding. Why should I come?”“To help me choose! I look good in everything, so it’s hard to pick.”“If it’s that hard, just buy them all. Aren’t you rich?”“Why are you so grouchy?” She leaned closer and observed me. “Cassia, are your hormones off balance?”“I’m pregnant, so everything’s a mess right now.”After some thought, I called Austin and told him, “Sophie’s trying on wedding dresses this afternoon.”“Okay,” he replied in his usual lifeless tone.“Aren’t you going to say anything to her?”“Don’t eat too much. The wedding dress will be a pain to alter.”I was so angry that I hung up. He was so stubborn. I was sure that he would regret it and cry later.M
Austin was the weakest among us when we were kids. He could not climb trees, run, or do anything physically demanding. Instead, he would play board games and puzzles with us.Sophie always thought that he was smart, and she admired him.I never imagined that someone I grew up with might die so soon.“You should leave,” he said weakly. “She should be done by now.”“Austin.” I wanted to say something more, but he turned his back to me.He did not want to listen, so I had no choice but to leave.As I reached the door, I heard him say, “Actually, this is a good thing.”Was he saying that Sophie marrying Kingston was a good thing?What was good about it?I felt like grabbing Sophie over. I wanted to point at the dying man in bed and say, “This guy loves you more than you know. He helped you test Kingston’s character. He thinks about you all the time. He comes to see you every night using his half-sister as an excuse, but he’s dying. He doesn’t want you to be sad, so he plans to die
“I just went for a checkup.” Austin walked over to me. “Why are you sweating so much?”He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and gave it to me. Honestly, only Austin would still carry a handkerchief in his condition.I wiped my sweat. “I came with Sophie to get her cast off, and I thought I’d stop by to see you.”“Get her cast off? I thought that wasn’t until next month?”“She insisted on getting it off today. The doctor checked, and her bone is healing well, so it’s fine for her to take it off.”“When did she start caring so much about her looks?” Austin walked back to his room, and I followed him.He sat down and seemed a little out of breath. I had already asked the doctor about him. Austin could not engage in any physical activity; he could not even walk fast.I was about to pour him some water, but he waved me off. “Don’t bother. I’m not thirsty. How could I let you take care of me? I might be a patient, but you’re pregnant.”At least, he could still joke. If I were him